Report: Beyonce’s Ivy Park Team Denies Sweatshop Claims

Robin HarperIvy Park, the new activewear brand and joint venture between Beyoncé Knowles and Sir Philip Green, is refuting allegations the company’s running a sweatshop in its Sri Lanka factory, claiming they have a “rigorous ethical trading program.”

The British tabloid The Sun reported most of the employees were young women from poor villages who work more than 60 hours to make ends meet, and factory workers were making just $6 a day for gear that retails for from $25 to $235. In response, Ivy Park sent out a statement, as reported by WWD, saying, “We are proud of our sustained efforts in terms of factory inspections and audits, and our teams worldwide work very closely with our suppliers and their factories to ensure compliance.”

The brand added that it expects its suppliers to meet the code of conduct “and we support them in achieving these requirements.”

Ivy Park launched in stores and online last month, and has included motivational messages as part of their branding that promote physical accomplishment and women “in every sense.” The brand is currently stocked at 12 retailers across 50 countries worldwide.